"Oh,"saidHarry,"right.Thanks."　　"Farwell,Harry,"saidHestiaalsoclaspinghishand."Ourthoughtsgowithyou."　　"Ihopeeverything&# ;sokay,"saidHarrywithaglancetowardAuntPetuniaand　　Dudley.　　"OhI&# ;msureweshallendupthebestofchums,"saidDiggleslightly,wavinghis　　hatashelttheroom.Hestiafollowedhim.　　Dudleygentlyreleasedhimselffromhismother&# ;sclutchesandwalkedtoward　　Harrywhohadtorepressanurgetothreatenhimwithmagic.ThenDudleyheldouthis　　large,pinkhand.　　"Blimey,Dudley,"saidHarryoverAuntPetunia&# ;srenewedsobs,"didthe　　dementorsblowadifferentpersonalityintoyou?"　　"Dunno,"mutteredDudley,"Seeyou,Harry."　　"Yea…"saidHarry,rakingDudley&# ;shandandshakingit."Maybe.Takecare,　　BigD."　　Dudleynearlysmiled.Theylumberedfromtheroom.Harryheardhisheavy　　footfallsonthegraveleddrive,andthenacardoorslammed.　　AuntPetuniawhosacehadbeenburiedinherhandkerchilookedaroundat　　thesound.ShedidnotseemtohaveexpectedtofindherselfalonewithHarry.Hastily　　stowingherwethandkerchiintoherpocket,shesaid,"Well–good-bye"andmarched　　towardsthedoorwithoutlookingathim.　　"Good-bye"saidHarry.　　Shestoppedandlookedback.ForamomentHarryhadthestrangestfeelingthat　　shewantedtosaysomethingtohim;Shegavehimanodd,tremulouslookandseemedto　　teeterontheedgeofspeech,butthen,withalittleofherhead,shehustledoutofthe　　roomafterhehusbandandson.　　Harryranbackupstairstohisbedroom,arrivingatthewindowjustintimetosee　　theDursleys&# ;carswingingoutofthedriveandoffuptheroad.Dedalus’stophatwas　　visiblebetweenAuntPetuniaandDudleyinthebackseat.Thecarturnedrightattheend　　ofPrivetDrive,itswindowsburnedscarletforamomentinthenowsettingsun,andthen　　itwasgone.　　HarrypickedupHedwig’scage,hisFirebolt,andhisrucksack,gavehis　　unnaturallytidybedroomonelastsweepinglook,andthenmadehisungainlywayback　　downstairstothehall,wherehedepositedcage,broomstick,andbagnearthootofthe　　stairs.Thelightwasfadingrapidly,thehallfullofshadowsintheeveninglight.Itfelt　　moststrangetostandhereinthesilenceandknowthathewasabouttoleavethehouse　　forthelasttime.Longago,whenhehadbeenltalonewhiletheDursleyswentoutto　　enjoythemselves,thehoursofsolitudehadbeenararetreat.Pausingonlytosneak　　somethingtastyfromthridge,hehadrushedupstairstoplayonDudley’scomputer,or　　putonthetelevisionandflickedthroughthechannelstohisheart’scontent.Itgavehim　　anodd,emptyfeelingrememberingthosetimes;itwaslikerememberingayounger　　brotherwhomhehadlost.　　“Don’tyouwanttotakealastlookattheplace?”heaskedHedwig,whowasstill　　sulkingwithherheadunderherwing.“We’llneverbehereagain.Don’tyouwantto　　rememberallthegoodtimes?Imean,lookatthisdoormat.Whatmemories…Dudley　　sobbedonitafterIsavedhimfromthedementors…Turnsouthewasgratulafterall,　　canyoubelieveit?…Andlastsummer,Dumbledorewalkedthroughthatfrontdoor…“　　HarrylostthethreadofhisthoughtsforamomentandHedwigdidnothingto　　helphimretrieveit,butcontinuedtositwithherheadunderherwing.Harryturnedhis　　backonthrontdoor.　　“Andunderhere,Hedwig”–Harrypulledopenadoorunderthestairs–“iswhere　　Iusedtosleep!Youneverknewmethen–Blimey,it’ssmall,I’dforgotten…“　　Harrylookedaroundatthestackedshoesandumbrellasrememberinghowhe　　usedtowakeeverymorninglookingupattheundersideofthestaircase,whichwasmore　　oftenthannotadornedwithaspiderortwo.Thosehadbeenthedaysborehehad　　knownanythingabouthistrueidentity;borehehadfoundouthowhisparentshaddied　　orwhysuchstrangethingsoftenhappenedaroundhim.ButHarrycouldstillremember　　thedreamsthathaddoggedhim,eveninthosedays:confuseddreamsinvolvingflashes　　ofgreenlightandonce–UncleVernonhadnearlycrashedthecarwhenHarryhad　　recountedit–aflyingmotorbike…